Biology

As part of the biology major, you should plan on packing a pair of hiking boots and a lab coat. You’ll be in the field studying the habits of charismatic critters like wolves, and in the laboratory analyzing things you can’t see like genetic material.

Small classroom sizes and hands-on experience are the hallmark of the biology major. Working closely with faculty, you’ll be netting trout, tagging deer, surveying plants, as well as linking modern molecular techniques with environmental and conservation issues. You might be analyzing growth patterns of juniper bushes in the Apostle Islands or you might identifying gene expression in northern turtles.

A philosophy of collaboration upholds and enhances our commitment to collaborative science research and outreach. Many of our biology professors work in partnerships with government agencies and non-profit institutions to conduct research, create internships, and find future jobs for you.

Biology overlaps with many natural resource courses and is the centerpiece of our pre-med and pre-vet programs. After four years, you will be prepared for employment in the fields of bioresearch, natural resource science, environmental consulting, education, and for graduate, medical, and veterinarian schools.

Faculty Members

Katie Stumpf

Education

Ph.D. - Northern Arizona University, 2011

M.S. - Northern Arizona University, 2007

B.S. - University of Wisconsin- Madison, 2001

Profile

I first heard about Northland College after I had already finished my undergraduate degree, while working as an intern studying avian disease on the Big Island of Hawaii. I remember that after talking with another intern about his experience here, I was upset that there was no graduate program because that meant I would never get to experience life at Northland College. Well, never say never, as the saying goes!

I am in the beginning stages of setting up a research program here, where I would like to continue and build upon previous research. Broadly speaking, I am interested in ecology and more specifically in ornithology and behavioral ecology. However, my interests are wide-ranging and include conservation biology, population ecology, natural history, ecological genetics, science communication, agriculture and food production.... the list is never-ending. I have found that the research community at Northland and in all of Ashland fosters the kind of "big picture" science that I love. I am always looking for and interested in collaborating on research, so feel free to contact me with ideas.

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, but have spent the last 10 years out of the state, so getting to come back here has been incredibly fun and rewarding. I enjoy anything that has to do with the lake and water, biking, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, and gardening. When it is too cold to go outside, I like to sew, knit, cook, and bake. I'm rarely sitting down!